St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-03-12
THE DACOITS.

Organized Bands of Eastern Robbers
Highwaymen and Murderers.
Since England $ late victorious skirm.
ish in Burmah, thousands of readers
have heard for the first time of the
Dacoits, and have been led to inquire
who they are. The Dacoits, then, are
nothing more than organized bands OF
robbers, who attack shops, warehouses,
private dwellings, or individuals. In
their operations there is no attempt to
effect quiet entry. The place is car
ried by open assault. If a closed door
bars the way, it is simply burst open.
The robbers are well armed, carving
swords and iron-shod clubs, and some
times even match-locks, and resistance
tends to wounds and death. This
fragrant and open breach of the law
was once more or less prevalent all
over India, but has been suppressed
under British rule. 1t is to be hoped
that the same results will follow the
conquest of Burmah.
The attack o. the Dacoit is generally
made on the house of rich banker, or
the shop of a jeweler, in some small
town where the police force is not very
strong, or on the house of the rich
zemindar Qandowner) of the village.
One case of the latter kind, (says re-
cent correspondent, which occurred
in village at the time when | was
nncamped not far from it. was managed
thus:
The Zemindar was reported to have a
large sum of money buried in the house
"a common way of keeping it in India,
the house being built in the usual
Eastern fashion, namely: round
central courtyard, entry to which was
gained through massive gateway.
The old zemindar and his two sons
were seated in the gateway, ENJOYING the
cool evening air. Their two or three
men-servants were busted about the
house. inside and outside 1t was just
getting dusk, when there was heard on
the road which passed through the vii
lage the usual cry of pilgrims proceeding
to some sacred shrine. Soon the first
pilgrim came in sight. There was
nothing suspicious in his appearance.
He looked a simple pilgrim, and was
barefooted; in one hand he carried his
shoes; with the other he steadied the
long bamboo pole which rested on one
shoulder, from each end of which hung
the wicker-work baskets which hold the
bottles, or rather TASKS, in which water
is carried from the sacred rivers to
some far distant shrine. He stepped in
front of the old zemindar, and asked:
''How far is it, father, to the next
good well by the roadside? For there
we mean to rest for the night.
1.-TWO miles, my son, replied the old
man.
The water in the well is good?'
.Itis"
and the grove near it is a good one
to sleep in?"
Yes
'.Perchance there is grain-dealer's
shop near it, where we could get some
four?'
mo. there is not"
''Then how far is the next well and
resting placer
1.-TWO miles more
.'And is the water in that well good?H |
'Thou asketh many questions, said
the old man.
But the purpose of the questioning
had been gained the seeming pilgrims
had been moving in single file; it had
given them time to come up and form
a group. Some of them had put down
their poles and baskets, as if to rest
themselves. But now the baskets were
slipped off, the slaves taken in hand,
and a rush made on the old man and
his sons and servants, who were soon
and the robbers gained
possession of the house, while some
kept guard outside. They carried no
arms, SO as to avoid suspicion after the
robbery as well as before it. But a
heavy ssmale' bamboo club is formid-
able weapon. Torture was soon APP
piled to the old man to make him
reveal where his treasure was buried.
Two little grandchildren, a boy and
GIRL were seized, and the heavy clubs
held over their heads, with threat Of
1ashing their brains out if the old man
lid not confess speedily. He did SO.
The rupees were dug up and distributed
the band, whereupon the robbers
moved of, and kept together until they
got clear of the village, when they
separated, going across the country
'ingly, or by twos and threes, and by
he time the police arrived from the
nearest station they had good two
lours' start.
The miscreants bear some resem-
dance to our Western 'sroad agents.
md it is estimated that in Burmah there
re between fifteen and twenty fhou-
and men who get their living in this
lefarious manner; but they will dis
ppear when the British flag is once
rmly planted in the land.-YouM
Five Mile Beach Island, near Cape
May, has unique and beautiful fea-
5ure in its holly groves, which stretch
or four miles along the island. Many
of them are very aged trees. Their ;
trunks are more than foot in dame
ter at half their height. The LIGHT gray